Today’s customer service environment is more demanding than ever before. Consumers expect a high-level of service through a variety of channels, and keeping agents motivated under pressure is critical for success. If managers themselves aren’t motivated and energetic, they cannot inspire their teams to deliver. Business leaders must focus on keeping customer service managers engaged, so that engagement trickles down to front-line employees.
Clearly Communicate Business Strategy
Managers need to know how their efforts and the efforts of their team drive business results. Knowing where they fit into the big picture helps everyone stay connected to and engaged in their work. The larger the company, the more corporate messaging and strategy can get diluted as it travels down through the ranks. Make objectives clear, and develop a process for communicating precisely what it is the business is trying to achieve, and how customer service teams impact outcomes. When managers are coached effectively, they can take that coaching and apply it to their CSRs.
Conduct Ongoing Training
Customer service employees probably receive ongoing training on products, services and processes, but how much training to managers have access to? Highly-skilled managers lead productive and efficient teams, and they must receive access to training and development programming to ensure they are continuously growing their own skills and knowledge base.
Rethink Metrics
Metrics are critical for measuring success, but companies that focus too intensely on the wrong metrics stifle the motivation of customer service teams. If managers are always under the gun to get their Cost Per Call and Average Call Time down, the level of service offered will ultimately suffer, and so will morale. Instead, focus on KPIs like First Call Resolution and Customer Satisfaction Score to keep everyone motivated and focused on delivering great service at every touchpoint.
Encourage Creativity
Customer service work is not “creative” in the traditional sense, but forcing managers into pre-set processes, scripts and solutions stifles their ability to lead effective teams. Managers must be encouraged to empower their teams to make decisions on their feet, based on the situation at hand. No two customer service calls are the same, and agents should feel free to tailor solutions to the needs of the person they are dealing with at that particular time. Encouraging autonomy and creative thinking can keep managers connected to the reasons why they enjoy their jobs, and will help them keep their employees connected to that feeling, as well.
Today’s customer service teams work in demanding environments and finding the right candidates can be a challenge. If you are looking for talented staff for your customer call center, the expert recruiters at Contemporary Staffing Solutions are ready to help. We specialize in connecting call centers with fully-vetted, highly-skilled and engaged talent. Contact CSS today to start filling your customer service center with the best and brightest talent in the market.